


Everyone Comes with scars, but you can love them away. I told you that I wasn't perfect, you told me the same.

by CommonConversations



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: ChONI AU, Cheryl is lonely, Choni is the ultimate ship, Class Difference, F/F, I binged watched Shameless and this was the result, Let me know how Im doing, Lopaz rights!, Maid Toni, My First Fanfic, Rags to Riches, Riverdale AU, San Francisco, Toni is sad, Veronica is sly, Yes the titles a fifth harmony song, famous cheryl, jason is alive, just as friends though, plz comment
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-29 17:49:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21414187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CommonConversations/pseuds/CommonConversations
Summary: Antoinette Topaz wasn't privileged. She worked two minimum-wage jobs and comes home to her overcrowded house located deep within the southside, which was far from the lavish lifestyle she only dreamt of at night.After a simple misunderstanding forces her to live in two different worlds, she goes from rags to riches which leaves Toni questioning if her love for entrepreneur  Cheryl Blossom goes much deeper than the lie she lives in
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz
Comments: 30
Kudos: 65





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> So I binge-watched Shameless and this came to me. Yes, the title of the book is from "No Way" by Fifth Harmony, sue me. and yes....I will do everything in my power to stay with this! Enjoy...

This time of year was Toni’s favorite. November The air was crisp and cool to her cheeks; never faltering in temperature. The escalator down to Southside Station was like heading down into a deep cavern. The daylight slowly changed into dark graffitied walls as the short brunette was used to her morning routine. Her music blasting out of her earbuds closed out everyone around her.

“Right on time” she mumbled to herself.

The train was never late, but neither was she. Both she and the train worked in a perfectly timed symphony. A swarm of people flooded the old subway station making it hard for the people getting aboard to see where they were going. Toni dug into the handles of her purse. Dropping that meant getting fed to the sharks, especially at this time of the day.

Toni worked on the Northside of Riverdale. She had the luxury of cleaning for a wealthy family, the Lodges. While some people in her line of work were continuously treated like trash, the Lodge family were kind to her and never made her feel inferior on purpose, unlike the previous family she had cleaned for.

She did her best to hide her feelings from them. Not to ever get too close to them. She knew those types of people, how they acted, and what they thought of the southside. The southside was something you were supposed to be ashamed of, especially for the upper-class families that never dared to venture to this side of the town. It was like a barren wasteland filled with drug dealers and prostitutes. All accusations made by people who had never been across the tracks.

Toni had a good life. It wasn’t perfect or anything, but she survived. 

As the train stopped and a new flood of people swarmed into the now much more diverse subway cart, Toni’s pocket began to vibrate.

Toni pulled her phone out and groaned as Betty’s name flashed across the screen.

“Hello?” Toni asked, slightly annoyed at the untimely call 

“Hey, what’s up?” Betty chirped as she heard Toni’s voice greet her on the other side of the phone. Toni slowly growing more irritated with every syllable she said. Short on time, Toni decided to get right to the point.

“What do you want, Cooper?”

“We need milk”

Toni rolled her eyes.

“Out of all of the roommates to ask, she fucking picks me” she mumbled under breath making it almost loud enough for Betty to hear what she was saying.

“What?” Toni heard across the phone.

“Why don’t you ask Jughead seeing as you’re practically glued to the hip.” Toni scoffed

“He’s busy.”

“Yeah, well so am I”

The Train stopped. Toni had reached her station. Grabbing onto her purse again she waited at the doors, the phone still pressed to her ear.

“Look, I have to get to work. I’ll pick it up after I get out. Talk later”

She hung up abruptly before the other girl could get a word in. It was no use arguing with her. If she did she would get jughead on her case, and somehow become the bad guy, even over something as trivial as buying milk.

Toni was on the Northside now and things were much different here. The walls weren’t missing the shiny white tiles, nor were they covered wall to wall in spray paint. It was like looking at a portrait of an old-time photo. She couldn’t imagine Southside Station looking like the one here on the Northside, but one time in history it did. 

Toni’s rubber boots squeaked on the tile as she made her way to the already crowded escalator. Attempting to make it to the top of the subway in time and still not be late for work would be a miracle. 

She would have to climb the stairs today. 

Toni emerged into the smoke-filled streets of the Northside. The short girl began her familiar daily trek through the very crowded streets to the Lodge estate, silently praying she wouldn’t be late. 

If I miss out on another paycheck, we’re fucked.

The Pembrooke was much fancier than the townhome Toni was used to living in. The paint on her bedroom walls was cracking, while the Pembrooke had pillars and fireplaces in almost every room. The bathroom was a marble masterpiece while Toni woke up to a clogged toilet and a tub stained from the hardness of their water. 

You would think her house would be spotless as she cleans for a living but it wasn’t. There was clutter in almost every nook and cranny and every room had something unneeded, but they wouldn’t get enough money if they sold them. Her mattress was falling apart, and she shared a kitchen area with a pack of wild boys so mornings were always messy. Altogether there were six of them living in their small two-story home. Fangs, Joaquin, and Sweet Pea were family to her. She had grown up with them and considered the three of them her brothers since they were all still in diapers. Jughead wasn’t her greatest friend but she tolerated him as long as he paid his share of the rent, something his girlfriend Betty rarely helped with. If Toni ever had the balls to kick her out, she knew Jughead would go as well and so would the portion of the rent he covered. She and the other boys would never be able to pay their portion as well as Jughead’s, no matter how many jobs they worked.

Walking up to the Pembrooke, a familiar face opened the door. Smithers was the Lodge Families doorman and he never treated Toni differently or judged her for what she did for a living. He always opened the door for her with a smile on his face.

After Toni was gestured inside, the brunette wrapped her headphones around her iPod and placed it in her purse. Pressing the ‘L’ in the gold plated elevator, she began her climb to the upper levels of the apartment complex. 

With a loud ding, the door opened and Toni made her way to the floor’s cleaning closet. Everything she used was fit into one small space. This included: a mop, a broom, and the typical yellow custodial cart which held numerous bottles of cleaning products and some rags.

Quickly pushing it to door, she knocked. 

Better to be early than late

“Mrs. Lodge, I’m here for cleaning” she hollered at the ivory door.

Toni bent down to check the cart when the door flew open in front of her. A girl Toni had never seen before stared down at her with a confused gaze. 

“Uh, we didn’t call for cleaning.” said the unknown girl.

Toni had heard of Hermione’s daughter who was in college in New York, but she began working for the family the week after Veronica had left and had never gotten the chance to meet her.   
Toni assumed that this was who was standing in front of her.

“Um,” Toni stated, looking down at her cart. Both girls were very confused about what to do at the exact moment. 

“Ah, Toni. You’re a little early today.” a familiar voice called out.

The stranger stepped to the side allowing Hermione to fill her place at the door.

“I can come back later if you’d like. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Hermione shook her head at Toni’s suggestion and ushered her in, the cart squeaking behind her. “I completely forgot you haven’t met my daughter. Veronica, this is the maid. Antoinette, this is Veronica.”

Toni cringed at that word. Maid. It made her feel so dehumanized. As much as she enjoys working for the family she was always referred to as the maid and never her name.

Toni held out her hand politely. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Veronica shook her hand very briefly before wiping it on her black dress.

“I love your purse.” Veronica commented, “Do you want another?”

Toni looked down at her purse still hanging off her shoulder as Veronica briskly walked to her room without waiting for a reply.

Toni’s purse, as helpful as it was, was visibly falling apart. She couldn’t find the time, or money, to go to Walmart and pick up a new one. She covered the tears and holes with duct tape and called it a day.

Toni looked at Hermione for help in the situation but she was already making her way to the kitchen to refill her glass of wine.

Toni pushed the cart over to the bathroom. She liked to work her way through the house starting from the back so she could head out after she was done without the risk of something getting messy again.

As she flicked on the light and noticed she didn’t need to do much. Other than putting stuff back in the respectable places and wipe things down, she would have a mostly easy day.

She heard a noise coming from the living room but continued working.

“Antoinette, was it?” Veronica asked loud enough from her spot near the couch so that the brunette could hear her.

“Oh, you can call me Toni.” 

The smaller girl made her way to the living room to address Veronica properly but the sight she was met with made her stop short, her eyes widening and mouth dropping open instantly. 

“Pick one”

The couch was covered with different types of handbags. Toni felt like a kid in a candy store as all of the bags were placed out in front of her. Wherever she looked all her eyes saw were various handbags scattered around. They were everywhere. All over the couch, the floor. There were so many.

There were footsteps coming from down the hall leading to the living room.

“Veronica, she’s working,” said Hermione, sipping the last bit of her wine from her glass. 

Toni became instantly aware of Hermione’s presence in the house. Toni wasn’t there to get gifts from Veronica, she was there to clean her house and be on her way. She shook her head slightly, returning to reality.

“Thanks, but your mom’s right, I really have to get back to work.”

Toni forced herself to turn away and head back to the bathroom. She could hear Veronica sigh while collecting the bags she had brought out for Toni. For one, Toni couldn’t understand why this girl of whom she just met was throwing these expensive bags at her feet, but Toni wasn’t complaining. On the other hand, she didn’t want to be treated like a charity case by this girl she just met not even ten minutes before.

Sluggishly heading back to the bathroom Toni collected her cart and quickly moved to the kitchen. She was there the day before so she didn’t really need to do much. 

On her way, Toni passed a set of locked doors. As long as she’d been working for the Lodge’s, Toni was never allowed to go into that room under any circumstances but she had her wild suspicions as to what was in the bolted area of the house. She was told it was where Hermione’s late husband worked, but nothing else about it. The family had pretty much kept Hiram’s death a hidden secret. As wealthy and infamous as the family was, she never saw much of anything in the papers before she started working there.

Mr. Lodge was said to be a very intense man. Toni didn’t know what to describe him as since she never met the guy, nor did she care. She simply cleaned up the house, got paid every Friday, and left. It was a get in, get out situation for her and didn’t like to stay and chit-chat with her employers very often. 

Toni’s cart squeaked loudly on the tile floor of the kitchen. The dishes piled up next to sink were one stomp away from shattering onto the floor. Filling the sink with water, the brunette carefully began to place the fine china into the sudsy water and grabbed the sponge.

She went to place one of the now cleaned plates on the counter to dry when it slipped out of her hands, smashing on the floor with a loud crash. Veronica rushed out of her bedroom soon after.

“Are you okay?”

Before Toni could stop her, the young Latina knelt down to help her pick up the glass. It was everywhere. Toni was more concerned with how much the plate was and if she had to pay for it than she was about cleaning the mess up.

Hermione had already made her way to the ruckus that was unfolding in the kitchen.

“That single plate probably costs more than your rent a month. You can bet it’s coming out of your paycheck.” 

Hermione was exceptionally good at always having a glass of wine or mimosa dangling in her hand whenever Toni was around.

Her face dropped at the harness of Hermione’s voice. Toni needed the money, she couldn’t have this happen so early in the winter season. The heating bill would be ridiculous this year, it was already snowing this early into November.

Jeez Toni, you fucking clutz. Maybe you should burn the entire complex down next? 

Toni quickly brushed the fragments of sharp glass into the dustpan without replying to the obviously inebriated woman.

Veronica’s head snapped up with a death glare towards her mother.

“Excuse us for a moment.” Veronica stood up, grabbing ahold of her mother’s arm and walking with her to her room. It wasn’t long until they were both yelling at one another.

As Toni swept up the rest of the glass, the arguing got progressively louder. She heard keywords but couldn’t really make out who was saying what. Something about checks and southside? She could guess what the argument was about from those words alone.

Toni stood up and tossed the remaining shattered fragments into the trash. She felt like crying. In all of her time working for them, she had never seen Hermione so ...angry.

Toni had finished with the living room and the dishes when the two emerged from Veronica’s bedroom. She did her best to not make eye contact with Hermione as the older woman made her way to her bedroom on the other side of the apartment without another word.

The house was silent once again. Toni fluffed pillows on the couch one last time before she began her way out the door

She didn’t get one foot outside of the door before she felt a hand slide around her bicep.

“I really want you to have this,” Veronica said.

Toni looked down at the present Veronica had in her hands. It was a small red bag with a brown braided handle and a scarf type piece of fabric accenting it. She didn’t recognize the logo, but could obviously tell it was very expensive. 

And very much something she could not afford,

“You know, I would love to but I’m not allowed to take things from the people I work for,” Toni stated, still eyeing the small crimson tote sitting perfectly in the Latina’s hands.

Veronica wasn’t fazed by this. In fact, she pushed the bag closer to Toni. “Technically you don’t work for me, you work for my mother.”

Toni didn’t know why she giggled, but she did. Placing one hand on the top of the bag she instantly could tell the quality difference than her other bag. It was much smoother and so much more stylish than the mangled green mess she called a purse.

“Thanks” The brunette mumbled.

“My mom’s going to be going on a business trip next week, why don’t you come over?” The Latina stated, holding the door open for Toni. “Keep me company, I can show you around the Northside if you want?”

Toni met Veronica’s eyes. Was she asking her to come and clean for her or was she asking for her to stay the night? Toni had never been to a sleepover, and rarely did anyone come over to her house as a child. Besides, she would have to come over to clean the house anyway.

“What business trip?” Toni asked, very confused at the notion that Hermione would be gone. Would she still get paid every Friday or would she have to find something else to do?

“Oh, she hasn’t told you yet.” Veronica’s face looked surprised. “She has to go fix some things with daddy's old business partners in Japan. Something to do with the corporate office we have located there.” Veronica explained. 

That must have been why Hermione was upset Toni figured. She was always working, especially this time of year.

Toni was more interested in examining this purse she had received than listening to Veronica go on about stocks and corporate wages, not that the other girl seemed to mind.

“Well at least think about it?” Veronica smirked. Toni smiled back at her but didn’t want to agree or disagree with anything at that point. After all, she had just met her an hour ago. 

The conversation was beginning to turn into an embarrassing moment of silence as both girls slowly turned away from one another. The door shut behind Toni as she stood in silence.

Did she really just ask me to come over?

Toni looked down at her purse she had just received. It was so ...pretty. She had never had anything so nice before.

How much do you think this cost her? Toni felt a pang of guilt in her chest, she had half a mind to knock on the door and hand it back over.

Sighing, The brunette instead pushed the cart down to her storage closet and put the yellow wagon back for the day. She could finally go home and sit down. While today wasn’t as hectic as some days she’s had to clean room 330 she couldn’t get the scene of the plate smashing on the floor to leave her head. She had just shattered not only a plate that cost more than her monthly rent but the chance of a raise that week as well.

The phone in her purse buzzed. She had a text message:

“Don’t forget the milk” read across the screen in bold unwanted letters.

Leaving the doors of Pembrooke Apartments the daily rush of people leaving from work swarmed the streets, making it hard for the short girl to see things in front of her. She stuck out like a sore thumb. Her work outfit looks more like thrift store material than the dress coats and leather shoes that people around her strutted down the street in. Men running in buttoned-up shirts and airpods passed her as if they were running to catch something. Women strutted around in their heels, loudly clicking on the stone sidewalk. Their long trench coats and high ponytails seeming to be blown back by some invisible fan, almost angelically.

The people living on the southside called this the “Northsider Effect”. You do one thing on the southside and it was bland, uncool but if you were to simply breathe on the Northside something just hit differently. It was the same air, but purer almost, and with less cigarette smoke.

Everyone on the Northside of Riverdale was always in a rush apparently. It was survival of the fittest and yet they had the audacity to make people like Toni feel ashamed. People on the southside went from point A to point B with their faces in their phones, no one really did anything else. There was no reason for them to be in such a rush all the time. When Toni and her roommates sat down at dinner, it was like meeting old friends. No phones and no distractions, just conversations and belly-aching laughs. Sure, Toni didn’t have the biggest most fabulous Thanksgivings but she didn’t like turkey or ham, so she didn’t mind its absence at the dinner table. 

Walking down the stairs to the subway station, Toni began to feel that familiar sense of disgust in herself. Her roommates always taunted her for being the girl who was “too good” to work on the southside, and worked on the northside because they always told her she was a “pretty princess in disguise.” Toni knew they were joking but sometimes, not all of the time, they would push a little too far and she would start believing that she could actually be a snob. 

The train was a few minutes late to the upper-class station, but the brunette wasn’t in a rush. Getting onto the train cart, she only had the options of the handles or the poles to hold onto. Her grasp on the arm straps above her made her feel as if she was ripping her arm off, so she had to use the poles. The only downside is that whenever they slow down she has the possibility to fall onto the person in front of her. 

The ride to the southside wasn’t long, but she still wasn’t able to go home as she had to go pick up milk still. By the time she got to her neighborhood, it was 6:00 pm and she was already hungry. Walking into the local gas station/convenience store, she grabbed a bag of Doritos and went over to see if they had milk.

“Ayo ‘Paz.” a very familiar voice said.

She turned to face the figure. He was dark, handsome, and his eyes looked into her soul. He made her turn to butter. Munroe, or Mad Dog as they called him on the southside, was her ex. It had been a month since they called it quits. She had slept with him a week ago, but that turned out to be a mistake. She still had strong feelings for him, she didn’t regret spending the night with him, but she could tell that he didn’t care for her the same way she cared for him.

She had been staring at him, the cooler door still open.

“Babe, you okay?”

Babe. One word and she was falling back in love with his voice, his eyes, his-

“Oh? Sorry. Blanked out. What did you say?”

He smiled and quickly began laughing. His smile...

“I was wondering if you’d wanna come over tonight. You never called me back last week.”

Toni’s heart pounded in her head. She had left his apartment very early in the morning and hasn’t seen him since. She felt bad, but she couldn’t do it to herself anymore.

Come on think. Make an excuse...

“My phone ran out of service.”

Nice one, Toni

Grabbing the milk out of the fridge, she walked to the register. He was quick behind her, and he towered over her like Everest. “You know I’m down for helping you, come on babe.”

She ignored him and paid for her items and headed to the door with him still trailing close behind. 

“Hey, talk to me!” he pleaded, annoyance in his voice.

Toni turned on her heels. She stared him straight into his eyes, her face unfaltering. “What do you want me to say Munroe?” she started, “I fell in love with you and you just wanted sex? What part of that sentence is a lie, you tell me.”

She began walking to her house again and thankfully he didn’t follow. She felt bad. She really wanted to give him another chance, but then it would be a chance after chance, especially with him. Besides, she had other things to worry about.

When she finally made it to her door, she could already hear the chaos behind her door. The yelling and shouting stopped the second she twisted the doorknob. All the roommates were huddled in the kitchen, a bag of Lays chips scattered on the top of their scratched table.

“The least you could do is pick up after yourselves,” Toni said, placing the milk on a shelf in their already packed fridge.

The group’s conversation started up again as Toni walked up to her room. Opening the door she tossed her smuggled Doritos on her dresser along with her new purse and fell onto her lumpy bed in a groan of exhaustion. Today was a bad day. It wasn’t long till Fangs was coming to check on her, the sound of the others laughing turned to bickering just as he entered.

“Hey.” He nudged her. 

She groaned and turned to face him. “What?” she yawned.

“You look upset. What’s wrong, T?”

Her bedsprings squeaked miserably as she sat up on her bed, rubbing her eyes. Taking out her ponytail, her hair fell down her shoulder in a tangled pink knot.

“Well, I ran into Munroe’s desperate ass at the store, broke a dish at work that probably costs more than this house and Hermione’s drunk ass reamed me out about it. Oh, and I'm tired as fuck.”

Fangs smiled comfortingly. To Toni, he was the closest thing she had for a brother. He was always so caring, thoughtful and treated her with respect. He did his best to help with rent and getting stuff so that she had the chance to come home and sit down and was always the first to check up on her if she had a rough day like he was doing now.

“You know what ‘Paz’.” He paused and brushed the hair away from her face. “Right now, we don’t have it all. But you will get your chance one day. Maybe not today-” he paused, causing Toni’s mouth to smirk. 

“But one day…” 

And with that, he got up from her bed and left her alone with her own thoughts, turning off the light on his way out. Toni sat in the darkness, wondering if she’ll ever have what she imagined in her dreams. Maybe one day she’ll pay someone to come clean her house. I wasn’t long till she was asleep, her mind full of fantasies and dreams of a better life and happiness.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cheryl Blossom is introduced. A little look into her very much lavish lifestyle. The next chapter is back to Toni, where will also meet Kevin and Josie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case any of you guys were wondering, my names Elle and both me and my best friend Em are the faces behind this beautiful account. I'm the writer and she is the one that yells at me for making my stupid ass wattpad mistakes. She is the unknown GOD TIER HYPE MASTER behind this work and so you know she's the one that made me write the *cough* ;) bath scene. I couldn't be giving you this ENTIRE BOOK without my best friend, beta reader, and editor by my side so please give her the recognition that she so truly deserves.
> 
> Thank you, Em!

The sky was already beginning to set just over the watery horizon of Cheryl Blossom’s San Francisco penthouse. Even being five at night, it was beginning to look like midnight. The lights on the buildings of San Francisco began to light up like a crystal chandelier on Christmas. 

Her red hair was swept back as she balanced her glass of wine on top of her terrace railing. Frequently she wondered if she could kill someone if she were to accidentally drop the glass from off the side of it and onto the pavement alone based on how high up her penthouse was. 

She lived on the top floor of one of San Francisco's busiest skyscrapers. It was a stylish, modern, and was a very open penthouse. Throughout the suite, there were shades, tints, and hues of red. Her kitchen set was red. Her rug, obviously red. Even her bedding was a sleek and shiny shade of dark crimson. Red was her color. She wore it, styled it, and even the shades of her brand were exclusively monochromatic colors of red.

At first, Cheryl used her father’s reputation as a very famous politician to pave the way for her company. His platform made it easier for her to get her foot in the door of the makeup industry. It was a way of expressing herself to the world. The world of makeup wasn’t limited, and neither was she. Cheryl expressed herself and her personal image through every single pallet she made.

Don’t get it twisted though she had worked day and night to get her company to where it is today. Soon enough Cheryl no longer needed her daddy’s checks to keep her thriving business afloat. Crimson, her makeup brand, quickly began to outsell Kylie Jenner and James Charles. Both of which had been her biggest competition thus far, especially after her first round of sales left Sephora’s lip kits in the dust. Her eyeshadows were pigmented through some of the most earth-friendly pigments and her lip kits were long-lasting. They were every shade of red and a few shades of natural browns and pinks popped up once in a while.

While Crimson was a definite plus in her life, her overabundance of followers made her feel most accomplished. Sure now and then she would get the odd hate comment talking about how fake she looked or even a homophobic comment left by a nameless troll but those were quickly drowned out by her followers in thousands of compliments and likes. They were an army of teens and grown adults that filled the void her family left her.

The wind picked up as the sun turned into night causing Cheryl to pull her sweater closer to her, doing her best to keep all the warmth within her body. Even though San Francisco constantly bathed in the warmth of the sun, her penthouse was almost  _ always _ drafty and cold, something she got used to quickly after moving in years ago. 

The skyline of the city at night made her feel almost regal in a sense as if she was looking down amongst her followers. She would be leaving in the morning and heading to Riverdale to be with her grandmother from Thanksgiving till New Years. Her father’s hometown wasn’t like San Francisco in every way possible. It was smaller, but still had its own sense of city life.

Cheryl inhaled and tried to take a mental photo of how the city looked from where she was standing. She would be staying with her nagging brother and almost senile grandmother for almost three months. Thinking of her venomous mother and narcissistic father in the same house as her made her stomach churn but she did it for the love of her sick Nana Rose. 

_ Better start stocking up on Advil. _

Grabbing the now empty wine glass, the redhead waltzed her way inside glamor that was her home. Sliding the glass door shut, she locked the sounds of the cars below out of the apartment. It was silent and very dark as the socialite cautiously made her way to the light switch closest to the door. 

The light barely illuminated the space but did a wonderful job setting a warm tone throughout the lavish home. Walking to her room to grab her suitcases from under her bed, Cheryl grabbed her phone to see if she had missed any calls from her manager. Several notifications lit up the screen, including one from her close friend, Veronica. She had known the other girl since she was a kid, seeing as their fathers grew up together and were in the same area of business. They frequently went on vacation together before Veronica’s father Hiram passed two years ago.

After Hiram had suddenly passed away, the two families started to become more separate. But Cheryl did everything in her power to stay in contact with the young Latina all while living on the other side of the country.

**Hey, are you coming down to Riverdale this year? ** her text read.

The text was sent just a few minutes before and the redhead quickly tapped out a reply.

**You know it, V. Meet me at the airport at 10?**

And because she’s Cheryl Blossom and waits for no one, she tosses her phone on the couch cushion next to her. Veronica always takes centuries to reply anyways, is if she has a million other things to do. 

She hated riding in planes. To her, they were migraine-inducing pressurized timebombs that made her feel as if they were about to drop from the sky from all the weight. Not even her family’s private jet made her feel safe enough in the sky.

Cheryl walked to the bathroom. The ivory clawfoot tub was like a welcome mat, pulling the pale girl forward to it. Cheryl welcomed it with open arms and quickly turned on the faucet, pouring in some of her lavender bubble bath with a relieved groan. Her shoulders were incredibly tensed with stress, comparable to that of a sailor’s rope, and her nerves had increased tenfold at the thought of getting on a plane in less than a day. 

Quickly making her way to her room, she grabbed her silk pajamas off of the dresser and headed back to the bathroom. Placing her hand in the soothing sudsy foam, she turned the water off once the tub was filled and swiftly ran back out of the bathroom to grab her phone. 

There was no way in  _ hell _ Cheryl could just sit in silence, especially when she was taking a bath. Her music was her getaway. It destressed her and helped her calm down from a long day. Especially considering she was being forced to get up at the asscrack of dawn just to sit on a treacherous plane for six godawful hours. It wasn’t even a big plane, just a little jet. Big enough to hold her, Jason, and her insufferable parents.

She quickly stripped out of her clothes and exposed her matching red lace underwear. She tossed her hair around and took a second to check herself out in the mirror.

_ Damn, I am hot. _

After a few more minutes of self-admiration, she finished getting undressed and tossed her lingerie in her hamper next to the tub. Dipping her foot into the warm tub she finally sank down into the steaming waters and let out an appreciative hiss as it immediately worked to relieve her tense body. 

The redhead placed her arms down on the edges of the tub as her shoulders relaxed, causing a spiral down to her now curling toes. Her music echoed softly around the tiled room and Cheryl found herself humming along in content.

She was now completely tranquil, but she knew one thing that could catapult her straight to heaven, something she knew she would need before the flight she was due for in the morning

Grabbing her loofa off of the hook on the side of the wall, Cheryl moved the water up her chest and across her bare breasts repeatedly, gasping lightly as her nipples hardened at the contact. Because she was now so relaxed, every touch to her already sensitive chest felt wonderful.

Soon enough, she was squirming under the movements and finally trailed one of her hands down her stomach, stopping just below her hips. Her fantasies already playing out in her head as she began slowly circling her now pulsing clit with two fingers, not bothering to hold back her moan of relief, a perk of living on her own.

After a few minutes, the redhead sped up her fingers, her hips involuntarily arching up into her own touch as small sounds of pleasure escaped her plump lips. It had been a while since she’d had this sort of relief so it doesn’t surprise her when she starts to feel the telltale signs of her orgasm creeping up on her quickly. 

She forces herself to slow her circles and moves her fingers down to her entrance, feeling the abundance of arousal on the tips of her fingers from her teasing, her hips jerking as she coated her fingers.

“ _ Fuck _ !” Cheryl gasped as she finally pushes two fingers within herself all the way to the knuckle, her thighs spreading wider at their own accord, one leg bending to rest on the side of the tub with her foot hanging off.

She didn’t need time to adjust and her pale body was practically vibrating as her fingers began quickly entered her body in rapid movements, desperate for release. Her left hand, which had been gripping the edge of the tub, practically clawing at the expensive porcelain, quickly made it’s way back to her breast to tweak and tease a hardened nipple and she practically squealed in delight.

“Oh god,  _ yes _ .”

Her hips eventually began rocking in rhythm with the fingers that were frantically moving in and out of her. She knew her body well enough, and which spots to hit and when to hit them and sure enough her walls began to clench around her soaked fingers. Her arm muscles were beginning to burn but that didn’t deter from the task at hand as her thumb moved up to swipe across her aching clit.

_ C’mon, just a little more _

Cheryl couldn’t breathe. Her legs shook lightly as she began to reach her much-needed climax, moaning loudly in satisfaction and desire. She felt a little disappointed that someone wasn’t down there. In her. On her. Hair to pull, or a body to cling to. But she was too lost in her pleasure to linger on that thought

The redheaded suddenly went rigid and her mouth dropped open, finally releasing her built-up tension and she let out a loud groan that could have woken up the entire city if she wasn’t in the privacy of her bathtub. Her body spasmed and she slowed her fingers down, the bathwater sloshing around with her body’s movements. Her head tipped back as she rode the waves of ecstasy. 

Her left hand fell away from her nipple and gripped the edge of the tub once more as her trembling began to cease and breaths became much more steady with each second that passed by.

_ Fuck, that was good _

She wanted more. The feeling, all the passion needed to cascade over her body like a wave hitting the shores of a beach. She didn’t mind it, but being single did have its downfalls. Every once and a while she would find herself craving the companionship, the intimacy, the feeling of a warm body next to her. It wasn’t for lack of trying though, but there didn’t seem to be another lesbian within a 100-mile radius of her. Her fingers and imagination would have to do.

The water was lukewarm by the time Cheryl had come down completely and she removed her hand from in-between her legs with a last twitch from her hips and stood up on wobbly legs.

Okay, _ now _ she was prepared for the flight from hell tomorrow.

The pale girl grabbed her towel. She let out a tired sigh and wrapped it around her. Cheryl checked her phone, it had only been thirty minutes, but now she had finally gotten a text from Veronica.

**Haha sorry! Thought I hit send oops. Of course, I will.**

Cheryl, being herself, didn’t respond to the text. If Veronica wanted to play dumb, Cheryl would one-up her. Veronica and Cheryl’s friendship slowly became a game of “who’s the best.” due to the Latina’s enrollment at the prestigious New York University. But, no matter what, Cheryl would always be  _ the _ HBIC.

Cheryl slipped on the pj’s she had bought for the holiday season this year. The redhead couldn’t find a  _ reasonably _ colored set of pajamas, so she did what any desperate woman would do and got herself black instead. 

Walking back to her dimly lit bedroom the pale girl bent down and reached for something under her bed.

Her suitcase was already packed. Cheryl liked to do everything last minute and on the spot with the exception of packing. She hated packing. Her suitcase wasn’t that heavy as she wouldn’t have been able to fit two months’ worth of clothes in her one carry on bag. Since she was there till New Years, the family left clothes there to make things easier for themselves. 

She sat down on her grey carpet and unzipped her suitcase so that she could recheck to make sure she had everything she needed.

She quickly went through her checklist and _ zipped _ the suitcase shut. Rolling it to her door side made it easier for her to not risk the chance of her forgetting it in the morning. 

She slid into her satin sheets and quickly fell asleep.

It was three am when her alarm clock began blaring in her ears. Her bedroom was still pitch black. Groaning, Cheryl’s eyes slowly opened as if they had been rusted shut for years. The light blinded her as she flicked the lamp on that was beside her king-sized bed. 

The orange mane that sat on her head was a chaotic mess that was tangled up in many different knots. Getting up Cheryl yawned, her hands instantly reaching to rub her eyes awake.

Making the way to her bathroom her phone buzzed and caused her to turn around and head back into her bedroom.

_ Who the actual fuck, is calling at three am? _

It wasn’t a call but instead a text from her manager. 

**Do me a favor, post a photo with a fan at the airport promoting your brand. Discreetly please, you’re dropping in likes.**

Cheryl instantly woke up to this.

_ Dropping in likes? How? _

**I’ll do what I can. Thanks, Roberto.**

_ And sent. _

Grabbing a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt in her signature color, the beauty guru rushed into her bathroom to make herself look decently acceptable. Her hair was a struggle but in the end, she decided to go with a high ponytail, another signature look by yours truly.

Her manager had already talked about only wearing natural tones when she had to do a morning errand run or when there was even the slightest chance she could run into a fan this early. It made her seem more real to the paparazzi. Or at least that’s what Roberto said.

_ Stars- They’re just like us!  _ The magazines would boast every time she so much as went outside in a pair of sneakers. It was annoying, but, hey, free publicity.

It didn’t take long though before she was ready. A little concealer under her eyes, mascara, and poof. Cheryl Blossom was ready to take on a six-hour flight to Riverdale.

Roberto was all for the money aspect of Cheryl’s life. He did nothing but push her to constantly post. To him, more posts meant that she got more sales on her product, something that made Cheryl feel wrong. Her fans made her feel more cared for in her otherwise solitary life. Taking photo’s or autographing someone’s shaped makeup palette made Cheryl smile more than when she sees people liking her Instagram photos on a daily basis. Obviously, the redhead didn’t mind the money but that wasn’t her motivation when she sat down with her designers to cook up the season’s new palette for  _ Crimson. _

Grabbing her keys, Cheryl sluggishly made her way out the door and towards the Elevator with her suitcase in tow.

Cheryl grabbed her phone from her coat and opened Instagram. Veronica’s face popped up as the guru seamlessly scrolled through the news feed. Cheryl double-tapped the photo of Veronica and her mother just as the elevator doors opened up in front of her.

The caption below the photo didn’t say much, but apparently, Hermione was leaving for a few months. It was bittersweet that she wouldn’t be able to see Hermione this holiday season but Cheryl knew the family was still sorting out things with their business after Hiram’s death.

The descent to the Lobby was quick and the doors to the elevator opened up to reveal a lavish and modern entrance to the building. 

She only saw one or two photographers waiting outside. They were desperate, but as long as they didn’t invade her personal space they were fine. Her fans were on the same level. They could hug her, take photos with her and ask for her to sign things but the second they started invading her personal space she shut it down real quick. 

“Miss Blossom! Good morning,” her doorman said through the few camera flashes she passed through.

“A very early one.” she sighed, as she handed her bag to him and slid into the back of the Rolls-Royce. The flashes of the cameras quickly stopped the second she shut the door. The driver quickly drove off from her apartment complex. She grabbed her airpods from her jacket pocket and placed them in her ears. 

After a few stops at traffic lights and almost half of her entire playlist, Cheryl arrived at San Francisco International Airport.

As she grabbed her suitcase from the trunk of her car and quickly made her way to security, it wasn’t long till a group of girls instantly recognized her with squeals of excitement. The girls were quick to pose with the redhead as she pulled her phone out and snagged a quick selfie.

They ran off in a series of laughs, causing Cheryl to giggle herself.

_ I just made their day _

Not long after, she briskly made her way through security and down to the private wings of the major airport. It wasn’t packed, yet. In just one hour the entire building would be swarming with tourists both leaving and coming to the golden gate state.

Somebody had grabbed her bag for her, and she quickly made her way on board the small jet already waiting outside.

“Cheryl,” a deep voice said. 

The sound of champagne glasses clinking made her head turn to look down the aisle of the small jet. Her brother had somehow made his way to the airport and got his ass on the jet before she did. Apparently, she was the last one to make it there.

“Daddy,” she said, snapping her head over to the voice that had deeply spoken to her as she entered the door to the plane.

“You said we didn’t take off till five? Why is the jet already started?” Cheryl questioned as she sat down on the chair farthest from her family.

Penelope’s voice sharply interjected from the back of the plane. 

“Nevermind that Cheryl. I was expecting Josie and Kevin to join us. Where are they?” The older woman questioned, sipping from her glass of champagne.

Cheryl rolled her eyes. “They have lives mother. They’ll be joining us sometime tomorrow.”

“Well, that would’ve been nice to know. Maybe you could’ve informed me if you ever picked my calls.” A scornful glare was sent in Cheryl’s direction.

Cheryl, on the other hand, ignored her mother and instead turned her attention towards Jason

“Saw you in Peoples magazine today, JJ. Three girls in a week, a new record even for you.”

“Last time I checked, my three is still greater than  _ your _ grand total of zero. I could be wrong but...”

Cheryl opened her mouth to fire back but Clifford stepped in before she got the chance.

“Enough. I’m sick of it. Cheryl, your brother’s romantic affairs are none of your business. Leave him alone.”

Jason was always the favorite. Their parents quickly jumped to his aid even in something as trivial as a simple sibling banter. Cheryl decided not to push her luck and put her airpods back in. She turned her music up loud enough to drown out her family.

Cheryl must have fallen asleep because the next time she woke up, she was descending onto the ground of the New England airport. The jetlag seemed to have a goal to kill her every single time she made her way to the other side of the state, something she’s been doing since she was a kid.

It definitely was not San Francisco anymore as the wind outside the aircraft had the windows on the plane already beginning to fog up. Grabbing her carry on from up top on the shelf above her, the family was waking up and coming to the same conclusion as she recently had

“Well,” Cheryl said, placing the bag on the ground. “I’ll see you all later.”

Quickly she made her way down the path and into the much smaller airport. 

The redheads Louboutins clicked down the halls of Riverdale’s airport, steadily making her way to a familiar face.

“Well. I didn’t actually expect to see you here!” Cheryl exclaimed as she and Veronica both joined in a longly awaited hug.

“I am nothing if not reliable.”

The two walked out of the airport, arms locked with one another.

“Lunch still or do you need to sit down?”

Cheryl shook her head as the two girls slid into Veronica’s family car. This was a lie, Cheryl really did need to sit and rest but she wanted to catch up with her old friend more.

“I’ll be fine, let’s go eat.”

The two girls stopped at the local diner that was famous around Riverdale for having some of the best milkshakes and sandwiches. The bell rung as Cheryl made her way inside the seventies themed restaurant, and sat down at one of the diner’s iconic red booths and glossy white tables.

“So. What’s new with Miss Cheryl Bombshell?”

Cheryl took a deep breath, sliding off her sweater. 

“Well my palettes dropping in sales, but I haven’t released my Christmas edition so hopefully it’ll gonna go back up again.”

The waitress came over to the booth, and both the girls ordered.

“What about the family? They’re doing well I hope.”

“Right now I could tell you that Jason’s probably finding some Northside hoe to fuck tonight, maybe even a southside skank if he’s really that desperate.” Cheryl scoffed.

“You know Southsiders aren’t even that bad? I met my mom’s maid and she’s from the southside. She seemed pretty chill.”

Unfazed by what she was saying to her, Cheryl continued to scroll through her Instagram feed.

“Well, what about you? Any new potential novias lined up?” Veronica asked, desperate to get something out of Cheryl.

“V, I’m simply too busy with my palette. Besides, I’m perfectly fine with me myself and I.” Cheryl said, biting the cherry off the stem that sat perfectly on top of her pink milkshake.

“That sounds kinda lonely Cher”

Cheryl’s head cocked to the side, her eyebrows raised up in confusion.

“Au contraire Veronica. I have my fans, they keep me living the life I live.” Cheryl grinned ear to ear.

Veronica had grown up with Cheryl, so it was easily visible for the shorter girl to see that she wasn’t as happy as Cheryl made herself out to be. The redhead was clearly struggling with finding some sort of companion to fill her life with happiness and joy. Something Veronica knew Cheryl struggled with since she was in high school.

The waitress came back with the girl’s milkshakes and burgers and quickly left again. Quickly taking a sip of her strawberry milkshake Cheryl pushed it to the side, clearly not interested in entertaining this topic

But still, Veronica pushed on.

“You know, it wasn’t until last year that I finally met my Archiekins. It just takes some looking. I know you’ll find someone eventually.”

Cheryl wasn’t paying attention to Veronica and just nodded along with everything she was saying to her. Her phone was more important apparently.

“Take a page out of my book?”

Veronica reached over and grabbed the phone out of the pale girl’s hands. 

“One: No more phone.” 

Cheryl was not happy at all with this and tried to snatch it from her grasp. Obviously unsuccessful.

“Excuse me?” Cheryl snapped.

“You can’t find her with your nose in your phone all the time.”

Veronica handed her the red phone back, Cheryl quickly snatching it from Veronica’s grasp. 

“Two: You can’t find someone if you base your relationships on what you had with Heather in  _ high school _ Cheryl.”

Rolling her eyes Cheryl held her head up and stared out the window.

_ Maybe she’s right? _

_ “ _ But fine.” Veronica played, crossing her arms. “Don’t listen to me. Go live your single life with you six cats and have the only thing to keep you pleased at night is your own hand. Moving through life without anyone to hold your hand or support you.”

Cheryl, stubborn as ever, still doesn’t respond

“All alone” 

_ Still nothing _

“By yourself”

Cheryl finally looked Veronica in the eyes. Deep down she knew Veronica was right but Cheryl Blossom never lost a battle.

“Sounds fine to me. I like cats anyways.” The redhead stood abruptly from the booth “On second thought, I think I do need to rest.” 

“Cheryl…”

“I’m fine, I promise. Just a bit of jetlag.” She made her way out of the diner without so much as a glance back.

Both girls knew thought that she was in fact, not fine. 

Cheryl Blossom was lonely, that much was clear.


End file.
